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03 Jun 2010

NS Liberals Benefit From Drop In Popularity of NDP Government

HALIFAX: Satisfaction with the provincial NDP government declined once again this quarter, according to the most recent survey conducted by Corporate Research Associates Inc. Just over four in ten Nova Scotia residents are satisfied with the overall performance of the Dexter government (43%, down from 49% in February 2010). Nearly one-half are dissatisfied (48%, up from 41%), while one in ten (unchanged) do not offer an opinion.

Less than four in ten decided voters prefer the NDP (37%, down sharply from 46% three months ago), while support for the Liberal Party increased (35%, up significantly from 26%). Support for the PC Party is stable (24%, compared with 22%), while four percent prefer the Green Party (compared with 5%). The number of Nova Scotia residents who are currently undecided, do not plan to vote, or refuse to state a preference is stable at 43 percent (compared with 40%).

Premier Darrell Dexter’s personal popularity declined once again this quarter, to the lowest level since February 2006, with one-quarter of Nova Scotia residents preferring Dexter as Premier (24%, down from 35% in February 2010). Support for Stephen McNeil of the Liberal Party increased (29%, up from 26%) and McNeil is now the individual most preferred as Premier of the province. Support for the next leader of the PC Party stands at 18 percent (up from 11%). Preference for John Percy of the Green Party remains unchanged at two percent. Less than two in ten Nova Scotians (17%, unchanged) are undecided in terms of leader preference, while the remainder prefer none of these leaders (10%, compared with 9%).

These results are part of the CRA Atlantic Quarterly®, an independent, quarterly survey of Atlantic Canadians, and are based on a sample of 1,208 adult Nova Scotians, conducted from May 11 to May 31, 2010, with results accurate to within + 2.8 percentage points, 95 out of 100 times.

For more information, please contact: Don Mills, President and CEO at (902) 493-3820.